Cycle-frame.



W. S. HARLEY.

CYCLE FRAME.

APPLICATION FILED P55. :9. 191a,

Patented. D60. 17, 1918.

- 3 SHEETSSHEET 1.

J WMM 4% Qj% W. S. HARLEY.

CYCLE FRAME.

ANLICATION FILED FEB. :9 191a.

L amfigu Patented Dec. 17,1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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W. S. HARLEY.

CYCLE FRAME. APPUCATIOH FILED ms. 19. 19:5.

Patented Dec. 17, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3f.

WILLI .r

a: s. HARLEY, 0F M IL'WLUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNGR TO HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTOR 00., OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

CYCLE-Fr Specification of Letter Patent.

Patented Dec. 1?, 1918.

Application filed February 19,1918. Serial No. 218,078.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM S. HARLEY, a citizen of the United States and resident of Milwaukee, in the county 01 Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented certaln new and useful Improvements in Cycle- Frames; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My present invention relates to a new, useful and inexpensive manner of constructmg motor and other cycle frames.

In the formation of the usual tubular frames it is necessary to use a high grade steel for drawing the tubes. Furthermore such steel must necessarily be of good temper and when the drawing is complete is comparatively brittle. For these reasons it is impractical to connect the sections of tubing by any means except welding, brazing or soldering. In other words when the parts are riveted or bolted together crystallization takes place with a consequent deterioration and the eventual cracking of the metal.

It is the object of the present invention therefore to provide an arrangement for utilizing cheaper materials and a less expensive manner of connecting the several parts which go to make up the complete cycle frame. I have found that a much lower grade of steel than that necessary for drawmg tubing can be advantageously used in the formation of cycle frames by bending the same into angle bars and riveting or boltin the several bars together.

With tion resides in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter more particularly described and claimed and shown in the drawings, in which: 7

Figure 1 represents a side elevational view of a motorcycle frame constructed in accordance with the present invention.

2 is a plan view of the upper rear fork of the frame.

Fig. 8 is a similar view of the lower rear fork, the seat mast to which it is connected being in section.

Fig. i is a detail transverse sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a similar view on the line 55 r at this general object in view the invenview through the steering head cluster bracket illustrating the manner of connectmg the 'upperreach bar and the head bar thereto.

Fig. 7 is a similar view of the seat mast and the upper and lower rear fork bars, and Fig. 8 is a side elevational view of one of the axle plates with portions of the upper and lower fork bars secured thereto, these last mentioned parts being in section.

The frameillustrated is adapted to be used w1th an engine of the type shown in my copendmg application Serial No. 192,114 filed Sept. 19, 1917, but it is obvious that any type of motorcycle or. bicycle frame may be manufactured by themethod to be hereinafter particularly set forth.

All the parts of this frame areconstructed in frames of this general character the main portion includes an upper reach bar 1, the "forward portion of which is horizontal while the rear portion inclines downwardly, a lower reach bar 2 positioned horizontally and parallel to the forward portion of the upper reach bar, a downwardly and rearwardly inclined head bar 3 and a downwardly and forwardly inclined seat mast 4. All of these parts are in the form of channel bars, that is to say they are U-shaped in cross section as shown in Fig. 4. Both of the reach bars are positioned so that the fianges5 depend downwardly to prevent the collection or accumulation of dust and other materials therein.

The forward ends of the upper reach bar 1 and the head bar 3 are secured respectively to the upper and lower arms 6 and 7 which extend rearwardly from a steering head 8, said head and arms forming a steering" head cluster bracket. Rivets 9 preferably are used to secure said bars to the bracket. The rear end of the upper reach bar 1 is riveted to the flanges of the seat mast 4 at the upper end thereof. The rivets 10 which secure these parts together extend through the flanges 5 or the reach bar as well as through the flanges l of the seat mast.

The intermediate portions of the head and the seat mast are braced by the lower reach bar 2, the flanges 5 of the latter being secured to the flanges of the other two parts by means of bolts or rivets 11, preferably the latter. The end portions of thefianges LII 5 ot the reach bar 2 are increased in width as shown at 12 to provide additional attach ing space, and it neoessaryor advisable the ends of the. base portion of the reach may be secured to the similar parts of the head bar and seat mast as shown 13.

The lower" ends of the head bar and seat mast are adapted to have an engine hung therebetween as shown in Fig. l of the above mentioned co-pending application; this cornpletes the bracing oi the main portion of the frame. lhe head bar is also adapted to have a foot board hanger l l riveted thereto, this hanger being stamped from sheet metal and in cross section is substantially ei-shaped as the other main portion the frame hereto= :tore described.

The rear end of my improved frame also constructed of sheet znetal and includes upper and lower fork members- 15 1'6 respectively and a pair olfaXle plates l7. 'lhese axle plates and the steering head cluster bracket are the only parts of the illustrated frame which are not formed of sheet metal; they are preferably The fork members 15 and 16 are each stamped from a single sheet of material, and each is substantially l-shaped having arms between which the rear wheel is designed to rotate.

The apexof the upper fork member 15 is secured by the rivets 19 to a rearwardly eX- tending lJ-shaped attaching portion 20 formed integrally with the rear end of the upper reach bar 1. The similar part of the lower Iork [member is riveted between the flanges 4c ofthe seat mast adjacent the lower end thereof. The corresponding arms 18 are attached to the diverging arms 25. off the axle plates 17. Although the upper reach bar and the upper fork member are illustrated as being formed of two parts, it is obvious that the same might readily be stamped from a single sheet of metal.

In order to strengthen the upper and lower fork members their outer edge portions are bent downwardly to provide flanges 22. Thus in cross sectional view as shown in Fig. the arms 18 are substantially inverted L-shaped,

A frame constructed in this manner will be considerably stronger than the usual tubular frame and may be manufactured at a fraction, of the cost. Furthermore an. angle metal frame will be lighter the usual type, and when used with the light weight power plant illustrated in the above mentioned co-pending application, a very light motorcycle will result.

I claim 1. A cycle frame including a steerine head having a pair of spaced laterally ex ending arms, reach bar and a h ad F e 1 7 1 rorrned or a chann led e q M, p ends or sale. reacn bar straddling one of the arms of said steering head and secured thereto, and a seat mast secured to the rear end of said reach bar.

2. A cycle frame including a steering head having a pair of spaced laterally extending arms, an upper reach bar and a head bar,

a channeled member, the

each formed of forward ends of said reach bar and head bar each straddling one of the. arms of said steering head and secured thereto, a seat mast secured to the rear end or said reach bar, and a lower reach bar. formed of a channeled member, the opposite end portions of the side flanges thereof being straddled over the similar flanges of the head bar and seat mast respectively and secured thereto.

3. A cycle frame including a steering head, an upper reach bar and a head bar, each formed of a channeled member and having its forward end secured to said steering head, a seat mast formed of a channeled bar and having its upper end secured be? tween the rear end portions or the side flanges of said upper reach bar, and a lower reach bar formed of a channeled member, the opposite end portions of the side flanges thereof being straddled over the similar flanges of the head bar and the seat mast respectively and secured thereto, the opposite end portions of the basefof said lower reach bar being bent laterally and secured to the base portions of the head bar and seat mast. v

i. A cycle frame including an upper reach bar, a head bar and a seat mast secured to opposite ends of said upper reach bar, a

a lower reach bar having its opposite ends secured intermediate the ends of the head bar and the seat mast, each of said parts being formed of a channeled bar, upper and lower tori: members each formed from a single sheet of material and comprising a substantially V-shaped plate, the apices of said plates being secured to the seat mast, and a pair of axle plates, the free ends of the corresponding arms of said fork members being secured in spaced relation to each of said axle plates.

5. A cycle frame including an upper reach bar, a head bar and a seat mast secured to opposite ends of said upper reach bar, a lower reach bar having its opposite ends secured intermediate the ends of the head bar and seat mast, each of said parts being formed or channeled bars, and upper and lower fork members each formed from a single sheet of material and comprising a substantially l-shaped plate, the outer edge portions of said plate being bent downwardly, the apices of said plates being secured to the seat mast, the free ends of the corresponding arms of said fork members being secured together.

6. A cycle frame including a reach bar formed of a channeled member, the side opposite ends of said reach bar, and lower fork members each reez ere fianges at the rear end thereof being spread laterally to form an enlarged pocket, a head bar and a seat mast secured adjacent the and upper being substantially V-shaped, the apex of the upper fork member being disposed and said pocket of the reach bar, the apex of the lower fork member being secured to the seat mast, the free ends er the corresponding arms of said fork. members being secured together.

7. A cycle frame including a reach bar, a head bar and a seat mast secured to opposite ends or" said reach bar, the reach bar and seat mast being formed of channeled bars, the side flanges thereof at the rear end of the reach'bar and seat mast secured in a free ends of fork members the lower end of the being spaced laterally to form enlarged pockets, and upper and lower fork members, each being substantially V-shaped, the apex of the upper fork member being disposed and secured in said pocket in the end of the reach bar, the apex of the lower fork member being secured between the flanges of the pocket in said seat mast, the the corresponding arms of said being secured together.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my in the county isconsin.

WILLIAM S. HARLEY.-

hand at Milwaukee of Milwaukee, and'state of 

